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The government of Barbados is working to secure more employment for residents as part of Canada’s Overseas Work Programme.

A number of Canadian provinces are showing strong economic growth, which could present opportunities for migrant workers, according to Dr Leroy McClean, Barbados’ Consul General in Toronto.

These opportunities could come in regions not usually reached by Barbadian workers in the Canada Farm Labour Programme, including Alberta and British Columbia.

“Research shows that these regions of Canada where we have not traditionally focused our attention, are ripe with job opportunities for temporary migrant workers,” he said. “Therefore, we need to be able to exploit these prospects and translate them into hundreds of jobs for our citizens.”

The Consul General was speaking at the Local Annual Review Meeting of the Canadian Farm Labour Programme.

“Our investigations show that there is not only a demand for farm and hotel workers but there are opportunities in the oil and gas industry, in construction and also in restaurants and food services, and we intend to tap into these areas as quickly as possible,” he said.

In 2011, 169 Barbadians traveled to Canada to work in the programme, including five who went to work in British Columbia, the first time Barbadians have worked in that province as part of the programme.